Valentine's Day

Unfortunately, I think that Valentine's Day is highly overrated. I don't really have any valentine traditions. I do still remember back in elementary school giving out cards and bringing a nicely decorated container in which to put all of the valentine's that I received. I think that as long as the valentine exchange is handled properly I don't see any harm in it. I don't know how much children really learn about love from this process. However, I do think that it does teach them to treat all of their classmates in the same manner. In the unfortunate case that not everyone brings valentines or gets a valentine this can become a tough lesson in how accepting other children can be. Personally I don't feel any pressure or anxiety about this holiday but I guess if I were single I might.

Gender in Society

I would have to say that I definitely think that gender roles in society are changing. I think of females being strong yet dependent, beautiful, delicate, and independent. The male role is more dominant, powerful, provider, and strong. The females tend to be more small in stature, while males are larger and more powerful physically (typically). The roles that we play in society are ever evolving. I can remember that for the most part of my childhood my mom stayed at home while my dad was the only source of income that we had. Nowadays most households are two income households. The females tend to be the primary caregivers to the children yet they now have a new responsibility:working. I am lucky because I only work part time. I just don't know how some women can maintain a full time job and a non-chaotic house full of children. Sometimes I wish that I could be a stay at home mom, but on the other hand I think I could end up going stir crazy. Since I worked so hard to enter my career and all that goes with it, working part time is a happy medium for me. I do have a problem with some of the stigma that society currently is imposing on each gender. After watching the Tough Guise video clip ,I have started to look at TV in a new light. Men are typically always portrayed as tough and able to get the upper hand through violence. Women are shown as needing the man to protect her and she is not seen as an equal.

Theory Questionnaire

Well, this activity was very interesting because it really made me look at my perspective on life. It was pretty close but I think I identify most closely with the Symbolic Interaction Theory. Communication seems to be a key element within this theory. To me communication is an essential part of all aspects of life. The theory that I had the least of an understanding of would have to be the conflict theory. Don't get me wrong I understand that conflict is inevitable within life, but to me it seems that the conflict theorists put too much emphasis on the "me against the world type of approach" to life. They focus on the fact that individuals and groups compete over limited resources. Overall, I think it just leads to a more competitive lifestyle.

About Me

Hello! My name is Kimberly. Currently I am taking two online classes at Sierra College in order to further my skills within my career. I am married and have one daughter who is almost 4. I am taking this class because I thought that it would be interesting to learn more about the family and the different structures that it can entail. At my job I work with many various family situations and just would like to become more educated about them. I would have to say that I have two greatest accomplishments in my life: the first was earning my teaching credential, and the other was having my daughter.